Articles

25 04, 2016

Two years after accident, Lutfor Rahman still waiting for case conclusion

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:32:03+08:00April 25th, 2016|Articles, Stories|

By Kan Ren Jie I ask Lutfor Rahman how he is, and I am struck by his frank answer: ‘I now very bad. Now no job, makan got problem.’ While Rahman initially appears cheerful when I sit down and talk with him at TWC2's free meals programme, laughing at some of our jokes about girlfriends,

20 04, 2016

Four years after the accident, Abdus still waiting for injury compensation

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:32:03+08:00April 20th, 2016|Articles, Stories|

By Shona Mac It is a busy Monday evening at Transient Workers Count Too's Cuff Road Project and there is a throng of men queuing to receive a meal and milling around chatting to the team of volunteers. Abdus Salam is patiently waiting to speak to his TWC2 case worker who is currently busy with

16 04, 2016

Hand nearly severed, no ambulance, no paramedics called

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:32:03+08:00April 16th, 2016|Articles, Stories|

By Jiang Haolie There was so much blood that even the bath towel wrapped around Mahbubul’s half-severed wrist was soaked. His ulnar vein was crudely ripped by a metal sheet as Mahbubul lost his footing and fell. “I cannot even talk”, Mahbubul says, recounting the immense pain he experienced, and gesturing to indicate how tears streamed

12 04, 2016

Bureaucrats close eyes, fold arms as worker’s salary slashed

alex2019-08-30T16:32:03+08:00April 12th, 2016|Articles, News, Our Stand, Stories|

Prabhu was unhappy about his boss' tactics that reduced his earnings, and came to us in March 2016 seeking advice. For over a year, the construction company that employed him didn't have enough work to keep all its employees occupied. Management (sort of) rostered the workers, such that in each month, there would be several

10 04, 2016

TWC2 makes submission regarding proposed Employment Claims Tribunal

webmaster2019-08-30T16:32:03+08:00April 10th, 2016|Articles, Facts, research, analysis, News, Our Stand|

In February 2016, the Ministry of Manpower invited public feedback on the proposed Employment Claims Tribunal (ECT). The call for feedback can be seen at this link on the Reach website. Key points in the proposal include: ECT to be a tribunal under the State Courts, similar to Small Claims Court; ECT to handle all

8 04, 2016

Phantom job sucks Ali’s savings dry

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:32:03+08:00April 8th, 2016|Articles, News, Our Stand, Stories|

By Gek Han On paper, Ali Noman, 40, was employed for about five months. His work permit was issued by construction company Sun Demolition Pte Ltd last July. In reality, Ali was given neither work not wages. “Friend say no work. Company say no work,” Ali says not with anger, but helplessness. He had been

4 04, 2016

Pierced by steel rod, nineteen stitches, but not one ‘How are you doing?’

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:32:03+08:00April 4th, 2016|Articles, Stories|

By Zoe Lin As Islam Rezaul turned on his mobile phone to show me photos of his injury, I couldn’t help but gasp in shock at the sight of them. There was a stab wound about the size of a 50-cent coin and a long line of stitches that ran through the side of his body. I

31 03, 2016

Three months so far in Singapore: two jobs in two months, one month without job

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:32:03+08:00March 31st, 2016|Articles, Stories|

This case was first covered in the story Four workers allege employer made them pay for their jobs, MOM investigating. That was based on an interview in December 2015 soon after a group of men had lodged complaints at the Ministry of Manpower. In this subsequent interview, conducted on 8 March 2016, one of the

27 03, 2016

Worker says his employer wanted him to tell doctor, ‘I OK already’

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:32:03+08:00March 27th, 2016|Articles, Stories|

By Saw Suhui Rana Masud met with an accident on the 19 May 2015. His left thumb was cut off and the hospital was not able to reattach it. They tried the first time, but in Rana’s words, it was “many problem, sensitive”, and was amputated on 15 February this year. “Thumb now no good

23 03, 2016

Paid and paid for three jobs, only to end up injured and jobless

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:32:03+08:00March 23rd, 2016|Articles, Stories|

By Jas Kaur Abu Younus Mohammad is no novice to work in Singapore. So why is it that a man who has experience and in fact, skills, is sitting here with no job? Younus has held three jobs in Singapore. Firstly, he did a painting job for two years, for which he had paid a